Hello Turlock,

I keep hearing comments on why Turlock is having so many issues keeping staff, retaining directors, hanging on to firefighters, housing the homeless etc.

 I do not want to oversimplify the issue, however in my opinion, I believe the root cause of our ongoing struggles is the lack of competent leadership. The main priority in our city is to hire a competent, qualified City Manager. City Council needs to give policy directives and achievable expectations to see these policies fall into place.

 The second and very crucial step is to allow the City Manager time and space to achieve these goals. The constant micromanaging and meddling are going to ensure failure. Our City Council needs to hire a City Manager (not necessarily an ex-police chief), give them direction and allow them to build their own team of directors and give them a chance to achieve success. If the CM feels the need to rearrange, reassign or replace directors then that should be within his parameters to do so. The City Council retains the right to hear any appeal but hire a CM and allow them the opportunity succeed.

You are already starting to hear the term “election” being tossed around the dais (by a candidate) who claims the decisions are not based on political posturing for next year’s election. Per chance someone protests too much, methinks.

 Again, just an opinion: What say you Turlock?

—  Gil Esquer